Well – it was bound to happen, and it did … on the last day of the Challenge. I pressed “publish” too soon, having forgotten to change the Mister Linky from yesterday’s post.

PLEASE USE THE MISTER LINKY here for your post!

The Day 21 Prompt is:

This is it – the last day! So what will you do to keep up your book marketing efforts? What are you going to do to keep the blogging momentum going? What plans do you have to continue your connection with other Author Blog Challenge participants and the new readers you’ve generated for your blog?

AUTHORS – use the link below to add your November 17th post to our list!

Please note: the original email went out with yesterday’s link. The link below is the correct one!!

Momentum is a funny thing. It sometimes takes a big push to get it started, but once it’s going, it can be difficult to contain.

DAILY PROMPT

Each day, we have a prompt upon which the authors may base their posts – or they may opt to write on the topics of their choice.

The Day 21 Prompt is:

This is it – the last day! So what will you do to keep up your book marketing efforts? What are you going to do to keep the blogging momentum going? What plans do you have to continue your connection with other Author Blog Challenge participants and the new readers you’ve generated for your blog?

AUTHORS – use the link below to add your November 17th post to our list!

Please note: the original email went out with yesterday’s link. The link below is the correct one!!

READERS, be sure to check out our PARTICIPANTS page to see the list of bloggers who are taking part in the challenge, and READ THEM! Then, if you like what you read, be sure to share the posts on your social media networks so our bloggers get the best exposure possible.

If you’re just learning about the Challenge for the very first time, don’t let the late hour deter you from joining! Fill out the REGISTRATION FORM, read the Guidelines, and begin blogging away! You’ll qualify for the contest to win a $35 gift card to the bookstore of your choice IF you back-post for all the days you’ve missed so far AND add your name to the MisterLinky for each date. Details will be sent via email upon your registration.

We’ll check in daily for a recap of the prior day’s best blog entries.

Congrats on completing the Challenge. We’ll catch up on our recaps and announce the winner of the $35 gift card in the next few days.

Live events are a lot of work. The best ones I’ve experienced have been collaborative efforts. Members of the Phoenix Publishing & Book Promotion Meetup took a booth last year at the Phoenix Festival of the Arts and sold nearly $800 worth of books! (By the way, we’ll be there again this year, December 9th-11th.)

I also met a man at Coolidge Days, in Coolidge, Arizona, a tiny town about 60 miles southeast of Phoenix. He was an author with 1 book to sell. The booth cost less than $50 for the 3-day event, and by the time I met him midway through the third day, he’d already sold more than 50 books at $15 each. Hotel, food, gas expenses well covered, that’s an incredible return on his investment. To his credit, he was more than willing to talk to every person who walked past his booth – an essential key to his success.

DAILY PROMPT

Each day, we have a prompt upon which the authors may base their posts – or they may opt to write on the topics of their choice.

The Day 20 Prompt is:

With holiday shopping in full swing, ’tis most definitely craft fair season. Authors sometimes do well at craft events by virtue of being the only bookseller at an event. Not every live event is for every author – but they can be a great way to show off your book to the public and meet new potential readers. Have you done any live events? If so, how did it go? What’s your best tip for other authors to be successful? If you haven’t done them yet, what’s holding you up? What technique/display/idea have you seen a vendor use that might work for you or other authors?

AUTHORS – use the link below to add your November 16th post to our list!

READERS, be sure to check out our PARTICIPANTS page to see the list of bloggers who are taking part in the challenge, and READ THEM! Then, if you like what you read, be sure to share the posts on your social media networks so our bloggers get the best exposure possible.

If you’re just learning about the Challenge for the very first time, don’t let the late hour deter you from joining! Fill out the REGISTRATION FORM, read the Guidelines, and begin blogging away! You’ll qualify for the contest to win a $35 gift card to the bookstore of your choice IF you back-post for all the days you’ve missed so far AND add your name to the MisterLinky for each date. Details will be sent via email upon your registration.

We’ll check in daily for a recap of the prior day’s best blog entries.

Have fun on the holiday event circuit!

Laura

]]>https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/16/day-20-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-live-author-events/feed/0marciebrock20151211_141317dustin-hallsign-me-upDay 19 of the NO EXCUSES 3-Week Author Blog Challenge: If you were to take up mischief marketing…https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/15/day-19-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-if-you-were-to-take-up-mischief-marketing/
https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/15/day-19-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-if-you-were-to-take-up-mischief-marketing/#respondTue, 15 Nov 2016 18:28:26 +0000http://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/?p=2262Continue reading →]]>Day 19 of the NO EXCUSES 3-Week Author Blog Challenge: If you were to take up mischief marketing…

Years ago, I read a book by the late Ray Simon titled Mischief Marketing. It got my creative juices flowing, and I’ve never forgotten some of the stories from this book. Though they are essentially the same things, I much prefer the term “mischief marketing” to “guerilla marketing.” So what is it? Mischief marketing employs innovative, unconventional, and typically low-cost techniques aimed at obtaining maximum exposure for a product – in this case, your book.

DAILY PROMPT

Each day, we have a prompt upon which the authors may base their posts – or they may opt to write on the topics of their choice.

The Day 19 prompt is:

Mischief marketing is any form of nontraditional – and often outlandish – marketing. Leaving your bookmarks in similar books in a bookstore. Writing your title in chalk on a sidewalk that gets lots of foot traffic. Attending a ballgame dressed up as a character in your book. What kind of mischief marketing could you get up to in an effort to promote your book? The bolder the better. What would it take for you to work up the nerve to implement such a campaign?

AUTHORS – use the link below to add your November 15th post to our list!

READERS, be sure to check out our PARTICIPANTS page to see the list of bloggers who are taking part in the challenge, and READ THEM! Then, if you like what you read, be sure to share the posts on your social media networks so our bloggers get the best exposure possible.

If you’re just learning about the Challenge for the very first time, don’t let the late hour deter you from joining! Fill out the REGISTRATION FORM, read the Guidelines, and begin blogging away! You’ll qualify for the contest to win a $35 gift card to the bookstore of your choice IF you back-post for all the days you’ve missed so far AND add your name to the MisterLinky for each date. Details will be sent via email upon your registration.

We’ll check in daily for a recap of the prior day’s best blog entries.

Authoring a book is usually a solo endeavor. Successful book marketing, on the other hand, is necessarily a group project. You can’t do it well without a team. Choosing who will be on your team is an essential part of your marketing planning. Where can you build alliances that will benefit you and the other?

DAILY PROMPT

Each day, we have a prompt upon which the authors may base their posts – or they may opt to write on the topics of their choice.

The Day 18 prompt is:

Who would be the perfect person/company/organization to partner with to sell your book? It might be another author, a performer, a shop owner, a seminar facilitator, a teacher, etc. Pretty much, the answer to this question is limited only by your imagination. How will you reach out to that person/company/organization? What’s the hook for your pitch?

AUTHORS – use the link below to add your November 14th post to our list!

READERS, be sure to check out our PARTICIPANTS page to see the list of bloggers who are taking part in the challenge, and READ THEM! Then, if you like what you read, be sure to share the posts on your social media networks so our bloggers get the best exposure possible.

If you’re just learning about the Challenge for the very first time, don’t let the late hour deter you from joining! Fill out the REGISTRATION FORM, read the Guidelines, and begin blogging away! You’ll qualify for the contest to win a $35 gift card to the bookstore of your choice IF you back-post for all the days you’ve missed so far AND add your name to the MisterLinky for each date. Details will be sent via email upon your registration.

We’ll check in daily for a recap of the prior day’s best blog entries.

Happy partnering!

Laura

]]>https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/14/day-18-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-whos-your-perfect-marketing-partner/feed/0marciebrockpuzzle-piecessign-me-upDay 17 of the NO EXCUSES 3-Week Author Blog Challenge: If you were to write a jingle…https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/13/day-17-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-if-you-were-to-write-a-jingle/
https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/13/day-17-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-if-you-were-to-write-a-jingle/#respondSun, 13 Nov 2016 15:07:05 +0000http://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/?p=2256Continue reading →]]>Day 17 of the NO EXCUSES 3-Week Author Blog Challenge: If you were to write a jingle…

The holiday commercials have begun. Are you paying attention to them or tuning them out?

DAILY PROMPT

Each day, we have a prompt upon which the authors may base their posts – or they may opt to write on the topics of their choice.

The Day 17 prompt is:

The holidays will be upon us soon. Ever notice all the holiday commercials that use jingles in their ads? A jingle is designed to be catchy and entertaining. If you were to write a jingle for your book, what lyrics might it contain? What music might you mimic/use? Now that you’ve thought about it, how likely are you to actually go out and create a jingle for your book?

AUTHORS – use the link below to add your November 13th post to our list!

READERS, be sure to check out our PARTICIPANTS page to see the list of bloggers who are taking part in the challenge, and READ THEM! Then, if you like what you read, be sure to share the posts on your social media networks so our bloggers get the best exposure possible.

If you’re just learning about the Challenge for the very first time, don’t let the late hour deter you from joining! Fill out the REGISTRATION FORM, read the Guidelines, and begin blogging away! You’ll qualify for the contest to win a $35 gift card to the bookstore of your choice IF you back-post for all the days you’ve missed so far AND add your name to the MisterLinky for each date. Details will be sent via email upon your registration.

We’ll check in daily for a recap of the prior day’s best blog entries.

Happy jinglling!

Laura

]]>https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/13/day-17-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-if-you-were-to-write-a-jingle/feed/0marciebrockrustic-bellssign-me-upDay 16 of the NO EXCUSES 3-Week Author Blog Challenge: How do you approach book marketing on social media?https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/12/day-16-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-how-do-you-approach-book-marketing-on-social-media/
https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/12/day-16-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-how-do-you-approach-book-marketing-on-social-media/#respondSat, 12 Nov 2016 15:32:37 +0000http://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/?p=2252Continue reading →]]>Day 16 of the NO EXCUSES 3-Week Author Blog Challenge: How do you approach book marketing on social media?

A mistake many authors make is to see social media as a sales tool. Social media is a tool for connecting to others with shared interests and values. What kinds of connections are you making? With whom are you connecting? How well do you know your audience so that you can find them on the various platforms?

DAILY PROMPT

Each day, we have a prompt upon which the authors may base their posts – or they may opt to write on the topics of their choice.

The Day 16 prompt is:

The first word in social media is SOCIAL. How are you using social media to promote your book, without coming across too salesy/pushy? What aspect of social media would you like to learn more about? What are your next steps?

AUTHORS – use the link below to add your November 12th post to our list!

READERS, be sure to check out our PARTICIPANTS page to see the list of bloggers who are taking part in the challenge, and READ THEM! Then, if you like what you read, be sure to share the posts on your social media networks so our bloggers get the best exposure possible.

If you’re just learning about the Challenge for the very first time, don’t let the late hour deter you from joining! Fill out the REGISTRATION FORM, read the Guidelines, and begin blogging away! You’ll qualify for the contest to win a $35 gift card to the bookstore of your choice IF you back-post for all the days you’ve missed so far AND add your name to the MisterLinky for each date. Details will be sent via email upon your registration.

We’ll check in daily for a recap of the prior day’s best blog entries.

Here’s to getting SOCIAL!

Laura

]]>https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/12/day-16-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-how-do-you-approach-book-marketing-on-social-media/feed/0marciebrocksm-strategysign-me-upDay 15 of the NO EXCUSES 3-Week Author Blog Challenge: What about those graphics?https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/11/day-15-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-what-about-those-graphics/
https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/11/day-15-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-what-about-those-graphics/#respondFri, 11 Nov 2016 08:17:56 +0000http://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/?p=2249Continue reading →]]>Day 15 of the NO EXCUSES 3-Week Author Blog Challenge: What about those graphics?

It’s been said that adult learners – that is, virtually anyone reading your books or blog or marketing materials – retain 65 percent more information when an image accompanies the text.

Think about the last ad you saw – for anything. Note the words “you saw” – radio ads do not count for this exercise. I can pretty much guarantee that the last ad you saw – whether on TV, a billboard, a banner ad, an ad on one of your phone apps, in a newspaper or magazine, on a subway or the side of a bus – contained an image, because images are what capture our attention.

DAILY PROMPT

Each day, we have a prompt upon which the authors may base their posts – or they may opt to write on the topics of their choice.

The Day 15 prompt is:

Most adult books – graphic novels notwithstanding – rely on words to convey their plots and/or content. But when it comes to marketing – specifically, getting people to remember you – it’s super important to include images to anchor your marketing messages. What kinds of creative graphics (e.g., infographics, comic strips, stick figures, etc.) can (or do) you use to spice up your marketing and get people to take an interest in your book(s)?

AUTHORS – use the link below to add your November 11th post to our list!

READERS, be sure to check out our PARTICIPANTS page to see the list of bloggers who are taking part in the challenge, and READ THEM! Then, if you like what you read, be sure to share the posts on your social media networks so our bloggers get the best exposure possible.

If you’re just learning about the Challenge for the very first time, don’t let the late hour deter you from joining! Fill out the REGISTRATION FORM, read the Guidelines, and begin blogging away! You’ll qualify for the contest to win a $35 gift card to the bookstore of your choice IF you back-post for all the days you’ve missed so far AND add your name to the MisterLinky for each date. Details will be sent via email upon your registration.

We’ll check in daily for a recap of the prior day’s best blog entries.

Here’s to your most creative images!

Laura

]]>https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/11/day-15-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-what-about-those-graphics/feed/0marciebrockstick-figuressign-me-upDay 14 of the NO EXCUSES 3-Week Author Blog Challenge: What kind of class could you teach?https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/10/day-14-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-what-kind-of-class-could-you-teach/
https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/10/day-14-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-what-kind-of-class-could-you-teach/#respondThu, 10 Nov 2016 09:24:48 +0000http://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/?p=2246Continue reading →]]>Day 14 of the NO EXCUSES 3-Week Author Blog Challenge: What kind of class could you teach?

In order to teach something, you’ve got to be pretty good at it, right? At least more familiar with the topic than the people you’ll be teaching. If you’ve spent a lot of time, effort, and/or money developing the knowledge and message you’ve shared in your book, teaching a class about that knowledge is a natural next step that can really help you establish credibility and expand your following.

DAILY PROMPT

Each day, we have a prompt upon which the authors may base their posts – or they may opt to write on the topics of their choice.

The Day 14 prompt is:

One great way to market your book(s) is by teaching a class or a seminar. The topics may be more obvious for a nonfiction author, but a fiction author can teach, too! Character development, planning a writing schedule, world building, to name just a few. What class or seminar could you develop in order to share your expertise and expand your platform?

AUTHORS – use the link below to add your November 10th post to our list!

READERS, be sure to check out our PARTICIPANTS page to see the list of bloggers who are taking part in the challenge, and READ THEM! Then, if you like what you read, be sure to share the posts on your social media networks so our bloggers get the best exposure possible.

If you’re just learning about the Challenge for the very first time, don’t let the late hour deter you from joining! Fill out the REGISTRATION FORM, read the Guidelines, and begin blogging away! You’ll qualify for the contest to win a $35 gift card to the bookstore of your choice IF you back-post for all the days you’ve missed so far AND add your name to the MisterLinky for each date. Details will be sent via email upon your registration.

We’ll check in daily for a recap of the prior day’s best blog entries.

Here’s to sharing through teaching!

Laura

]]>https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/10/day-14-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-what-kind-of-class-could-you-teach/feed/0marciebrockmake-it-a-classsign-me-upDay 13 of the NO EXCUSES 3-Week Author Blog Challenge: What kind of contest could you hold?https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/09/day-13-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-what-kind-of-contest-could-you-hold/
https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/09/day-13-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-what-kind-of-contest-could-you-hold/#respondWed, 09 Nov 2016 08:45:23 +0000http://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/?p=2243Continue reading →]]>Day 13 of the NO EXCUSES 3-Week Author Blog Challenge: What kind of contest could you hold?

I was in third grade when a favorite aunt who was visiting from out of state helped me sell the most raffle tickets for our school carnival. The prize was a 10-speed bike. It was years before I could actually ride it, but it was a momentous achievement. The summer I was 16, I entered a radio station contest to win tickets to see the Police play at Shea Stadium – and I won. It was one of the most memorable concerts I ever attended. One contest took effort – the other was literally the luck of the draw. Both required my engagement and participation.

DAILY PROMPT

Each day, we have a prompt upon which the authors may base their posts – or they may opt to write on the topics of their choice.

The Day 13 prompt is:

Contests are a great way to inspire interest in you as an author – and in your book(s). Social media is one way to host a contest – but the options are virtually limitless. What kinds of contests could you hold to generate the participation, buzz, and involvement of potential readers? What kinds of prizes could you offer – other than the obvious, a copy of your book?

AUTHORS – use the link below to add your November 9th post to our list!

READERS, be sure to check out our PARTICIPANTS page to see the list of bloggers who are taking part in the challenge, and READ THEM! Then, if you like what you read, be sure to share the posts on your social media networks so our bloggers get the best exposure possible.

If you’re just learning about the Challenge for the very first time, don’t let the late hour deter you from joining! Fill out the REGISTRATION FORM, read the Guidelines, and begin blogging away! You’ll qualify for the contest to win a $35 gift card to the bookstore of your choice IF you back-post for all the days you’ve missed so far AND add your name to the MisterLinky for each date. Details will be sent via email upon your registration.

We’ll check in daily for a recap of the prior day’s best blog entries.

Here’s to a great contest idea!

Laura

]]>https://authorblogchallenge.wordpress.com/2016/11/09/day-13-of-the-no-excuses-3-week-author-blog-challenge-what-kind-of-contest-could-you-hold/feed/0marciebrockEnter To Win words on a red box with a slot for entering your tickets or entry form to win in a lottery, raffle or other game of chancesign-me-up